DH stuck on the M5... help!

[NannaNoodleman]

It turns out DH's breakdown cover isn't worth a Mars Bar!

He's broken down on the M4/M5 junction.

They're sending out a recovery truck but he has to tell them where to tow him to which has to be a local garage.

Any recommendations??

I need to get the kids packed into the car to go and pick him up... not quite how any of wanted to spend Friday night.

Well, we don't have that option anyway.

We've moved around a lot for DH's work and have been here for a year. We don't know anyone well enough to ask them for a 160 mile pick up! Close friends are at least 200 miles away.

I can't imagine asking anyone other than a close family member for a 160 mile pick up - I don't think it's unusual not to have friends who you'd be able to ask for such a hugely inconvenient favour.

I'd stick kids in back of car with blankets, tablets and snacks...they'll probably think it's an exciting adventure. I remember when my dad's train was cancelled and my mum drove us to central London to pick him up...I thought it was really fun!

Not sure I've got any friends who would do a 160 mile round trip in the dark to rescue me, either. It does show the limitations of breakdown cover.

Just googled: Gordano Services is on a junction and not just on one side of the M5. that's good. And has a hotel. So he has options. Though most service areas have parking restrictions so he needs to talk to someone to make sure he doesn't get a ticket if he's going to leave the car there overnight.

I'll pick him up... it's not ideal but I'd rather he be home with us.

The kids are used to sleeping in the car on long journeys. I would've just rather be in my PJs watching Netflix than facing the M5.

I'm just not sure what the plan is yet. He's told us to wait until he's spoken to the RAC but I'd rather just get going.

Poor bloke has had a shit day in a shit meeting and really just wanted to get home... and he's cold!

It seems a bit of drama over not very much tbh OP, surely he has a smartphone, can stay in a hotel or taxi to the relevant place and go from there. Cars break down, that's why you put a coat/high vis/blankets etc in the boot. If he was stood behind the barrier as you are meant to or hda moved away from the road, there is not a huge risk of danger compared to staying in it or hovering next to it as people often do.

No way would I drag kids out to drive at night to deal with this unless my DP was ill or too upset to function for some reason. Hope he is able to get it fixed though.

We once broke down on the way home from Dover. Our friends joined the AA on the spot so that they could get the car fixed. Is something like that not an option?

I have very good breakdown cover (smug face)... I do lots of long journeys with the kids so I made sure I'd be towed or chauffeured to either home or my parents'!!

He's really not keen on the hotel idea after having such a shit day and then breaking down.

OP you are considering driving such a distance with kids in the car to pick up your OH?

Are you serious?
I wouldn't want my OH to do that for me, and he woudn;'t want our children to have such discomfort and disruption to bedtimes.
He can find a local Travel Lodge and sleep there, get public transport home in the morning.
It's a crazy idea to drag two kids 160 miles at their bedtime to "rescue" a grown man.

Yeah I wouldn't bother driving the kids all the way to pick him up! Thats nuts. If they cant fix his car tonight is he just going to leave the car there? And then travel back up again to retrieve it? Or will you expect you to drive him up there again? I really think its up to him to get himself back rather than expecting the whole family to be put out. His mess.

OP stop indulging this nonsense of his. Let him get towed, stay in a hotel, he won’t do it again.

His lack of planning does not constitute your emergency.

It wasn't supposed to be a high intensity dramatic thread that will make the front pages of the daily mail!! It was a shout out for advice about what to do in this (boring) situation.

Smart phones are fairly limited in their knowledge compared to actual humans who might know local garages or places he could head to.

He’s a grown up, right?

In the circles you mix in they wouldn't pick up a mate who had broken down on the motorway?

Generally expecting mates to be at beck and call is surely cheeky fuckery? Yes I'm absolute emergency but it isn't one is it because he can stay in a hotel.

I am used to quite a lot of motorway driving, that also makes a difference. Not saying the OP should go if she doesn't want to, absolutely it's up to her he's not a child after all.

I have no idea how we'd go about retrieving a broken down car.

OP you are right- it is not a drama.
You are caring for children tonight- let him sort himself out. You are not his Mum.

I have no idea how we'd go about retrieving a broken down car.

You could leave that to him perhaps?......

He doesn’t fancy a hotel yet you and the kids fancy 160 mile drive. Which is more hassle comparatively?

I'm used to lots of motorway driving, so are the kids.

He's a grown up but he's my husband whose having a shit day.

Does your breakdown cover cover you in other cars, OP? Once you're there with the car, your breakdown cover might be an option to get it towed back. Just a thought.

And he is apparently not used to motorway driving, given his general lack of planning?

You’re having a shit day now too. Has he considered that?

Ignore those putting the boot in OP.

Can he take out full AA/RAC cover right now and have them retrieve him and the car?

Gordano services is a long long way from either of the two main Bristol railway stations.

I think I'd want him to pick me up if I were the one broken down.

He usually has a company car for work journeys and we use my car for family journeys so I suppose he was unprepared in his own car... he got cocky as it's never ever broken down but you live and learn!